Best DS9 characters

1. Gul Dukat - such a monster and those eyes of his which are totally devoid of any soul whatsoever... and especially when he was announcing that he was joining the Dominion and not fighting against them.
2. Kai Winn - so annoying! and so patronising...however Louise Fletcher does a magnificent job of playing her.
3. Odo - From being a shape shifter to being a solid back to being a shape shifter again....I just love his gruff exterior yet he has a heart of gold
4. Julian Bashir - Just the way that he puts up with Garak is funny enough...but his life has been pretty interesting especially finding out that he was genetically altered when he was a child.
5. Kira Nerys - Love her character and what her character has been through, losing Vedek Baral, falling in love with Shakaar, having Miles and Keiko's baby just to name a few!

1. Quark.
Come on, it's Quark! The guy made the show!
Better written than most other DS9 characters, more complex, able to shine in both lighter/comedic episodes ("The Magnificent Ferengi" still stands as probably the funniest Trek episode) or more dramatic episodes.
Armin Shimmerman also delivers one of the best performances of the DS9 cast, so it helps.

2. Garak.
Garak is a paradox: strong and dangerous (be it through cunning as in "In the Pale Moonlight" or sheer ruthlessness as in "Empok Nor"), yet weak, powerless and isolated, exiled to a life he secretely despises and always looking over his shoulder.
More articulate than most, cunning and playful yet scheming and sometimes treacherous.

I don't know why I like Ezri. She's exactly the kind of characters I've grown to hate, yet remains an exception.
Maybe is it Nicole de Boer's cuteness?

4. Weyoun.
Jeffrey Combs' description is better than any I could manage, so just refer to a few posts up.

5. Early Dukat.
Pre-S5ish Dukat was just the archetype of the magnificent bastard, a kind of character whose success depends entirely on whether they are sufficiently charismatic to pull it off... and Dukat oozes charisma early on (which only serves to make his late treatment more egregious).

Honorable mention: Martok.

On the other hand, I hated Kira/Visitor and, to a lesser extent, Sisko/Brooks.

This is a very tough list to come up with, as I liked the vast majority of the main and recurring cast and have been going through a mammoth rewatch of DS9. As it stands, my top five would be (for now):

1. Kira Nerys - A tough and feisty female character. She had a different perspective on things that the average Starfleeter, separate drives and ambitions that set her apart from Sisko--someone she was always willing to stand up too. She went from being an angry and violent kid to a more mature and seasoned woman, with her opinions to Starfleet and the Cardassians changed over time by the people she met, whilst also making peace with what she needed to do during her time in the Resistance.

2. Elim Garak - An enigma, wrapped up in a mystery, disguised in a lie. He was a genius bit of character creation, with an excellent actor under the makeup, who had a great arc over the series, ending with him only getting home to a planet that was battered and beaten. He was a character that could have been very standoffish and unlikeable, but he was charming and multi-faceted, which always made him a joy to watch.

3. Miles O'Brien - Yes he was thought up for TNG, but he didn't come into his own until DS9. He was the everyman, someone who was faithful and loyal, dedicated to his family every bit as much as he was his duty. He and Bashir formed the best friendship of any series. Whenever the writers put him through hell (and they did, a lot), you felt for him because he is the kind of nice guy you hate seeing bad things happen too.

4. Winn Adami - I dare someone to find a better antagonist in a series (Dukat is a close second mind you), and all without ever coming to blows with Sisko, Kira or the others. Smart and shrewd, with a cunning mind and a powerful faith that saw her through almost until the end. Another great bit of casting brought her to the forefront, and her frequent clashes with Sisko and Kira showed that she wasn't a woman to be intimidated and that she would give as good as she got.

5. Ezri Dax - A great new addition to the final season, a risky thing to do when you think about it. She had to be introduced and developed, not just plopped in as a Jadzia 2.0, whilst also continuing the war and ensuring all the other characters still got their time to shine. They got the balance just right (VOY should have taken notes when introducing Seven). Here was a young woman, given a burden and responsibility she had never wanted and left to deal with it. She grew into her role as host, embracing all the knowledge, experience and skills offered to her and by the end came to own them.

Honourable Mentions:
Benjamin Sisko - The man who took a broken down station and made it a command post for an entire tactical wing. He was strong and fierce (you won't like him when he's angry ), but also a loving father, husband and son. He grew to accept his role as Emissary and place he played in Bajor.
Kai Opaka - She was only in three episodes, but that is just a testament to the impact she had on me. A character that was "killed off" far too early, her conviction and compassion made me instantly like her.
Quark - A character with a totally different view on things, as far from Starfleet as you can get, but an all round interesting and well-developed character--but still always a Ferengi.
Julian Bashir - Here was a character I hated when I first watched DS9. But over time, as you got to find out more about him and he really came into his own, I found myself liking him more and more.

It's the other four that would provide new insights on my part, to some extent.

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Yeah, I know. You're such a good sport, man.

I suppose I should do a list:

1.) Kira Nerys - because she's kick-ass and strong, but can also show a softer side. And she really grows throughout the series, perhaps more than anyone else.

2.) Garak - Plain, simple, Garak had me hooked from his very first appearance. His interactions with Bashir were simply fascinating, whether you (like me) saw the slashy undertones or not. The combination of great writing and superb acting by Andrew Robinson breathed a wonderful life into this enigmatic character. Not to mention that Robinson was so invested in Garak that he actually penned a book from Garak's POV which fleshed out our favorite Cardassian even further. "A Stitch in Time" is by far the best Trek lit I've ever read, and I highly reccommend it to any fan of the show or the character.

3.) Weyoun - he defined the Vorta. Jeffrey Combs made the character slimy, yet somehow elegant, and at times, someone we could almost empathize with despite ourselves. He wasn't just some sycophant saying what he thought his superiors wanted to hear - he truly believed in what he was preaching, which made it all the more evident that behind that pleasant smile, there was man who wouldn't hesistate to commit genocide in the name of his gods. Another example of excellent writing and excellent acting coming together to make a character far more compelling than you would have thought.

4.) Dukat - arguably Star Trek's greatest villian, he was so charismatic that despite his awful deeds, to this day there are fans that try to defend his actions. He started out as a complete villian, then he seemed to be working his way to some sort of redemption, and then he was plunged into a deeper darkness and evil than he had been before, ultimately become something like a Satan to Sisko's Christ. "Waltz" remains one of my favorite episodes of all. Marc Alaimo capture's Dukat's descent into complete madness with chilling perfection.

5.) Sisko. When we first meet him, he is a broken man, haunted by his past, almost ready to give up. Slowly, we watch him grow into his role as Emmisary, watch him accept his destiny, watch him find love again, watch him go from commander to captain. He's a soldier, a father, a reluctant religious icon ... and damned fine cook to boot. Don't mess with the Sisko!

6.) And finally ... Jake. Yeah, I know, but honestly, he gets major bonus points for essentially being the anti-Wesley. He sort of fades into the background in later season, but early on he has some episodes in which he really shines. "The Visitor" still breaks my heart a little bit. The relationship between father and son is truly touching, and from what I understand, Avery Brooks and Cirroc Lofton didn't have to do much acting there, because they actually became that close in real life.

Not to mention that Robinson was so invested in Garak that he actually penned a book from Garak's POV which fleshed out our favorite Cardassian even further. "A Stitch in Time" is by far the best Trek lit I've ever read, and I highly reccommend it to any fan of the show or the character.

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That's a brilliant idea! I've so far stayed away from Trek lit (it all seems to fanfic-like for my tastes), but this is a book I should read some time.

Speaking of Combs, I was suprised to see him in an episode of the 2002 revival of The Twilight Zone (ep 35: "Placebo Effect"), the other day.
Not a show I'd recommend overall, the 2002 version of The Twilight Zone (poor writing, atrocious theme, very uneven acting; I'd struggle to name 5 good episodes in the whole run of 44 - though Forest Whittaker's undeniable gravitas helps anchor the show in memory), but you can check the episode: it's not great (predictable, some groanworthy Deus Ex Machinae), but it's not horrible either.

Not to mention that Robinson was so invested in Garak that he actually penned a book from Garak's POV which fleshed out our favorite Cardassian even further. "A Stitch in Time" is by far the best Trek lit I've ever read, and I highly reccommend it to any fan of the show or the character.

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That's a brilliant idea! I've so far stayed away from Trek lit (it all seems to fanfic-like for my tastes), but this is a book I should read some time.

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As one of the biggest Garak fans on this board, I can't recommend it enough. Fantastic book.

It's great to see a live post on this subject!! Here's my take with some episode references.

Jadzia Dax -- 300+ year old wisdom she added to plots... Let He Who Is Without Sin...(5x07) Is one of my favorites of hers.

Kira Nerys -- Tough, soft, but what I loved most is how she moved around the scenes. You could tell she was a dancer before DS9. Wrongs Darker Than Death or Night (6x17) is one of my favorites of hers.

Quark -- For obvious reasons. His consistency in character with slight moments of "not Quark" windows deep into his psych (lol). He's my Ferengi definition. The Magnificent Ferengi (6x10) has to be my favorite Quarkisode if not Little Green Men (4x08). Iggy Pop as a Vorta = win! Also, it's great to see Armin Shimerman out of makeup and in a recent Castle episode The Final Frontier (5x06)

Benjamin Sisko -- I liked the sometimes frustrated pace of his dialogues. Personally, his and Jake's connection reminded me my connection with my pops. Albeit that connection was a TV version with way less fart jokes (seriously? does anyone fart in space? How is Seth MacFarlane going to revamp the series without introducing fart jokes? I don't know...). Even though he was out of character (yet strangely within), I really enjoyed alternate Sisko in Crossover (2x23)

It's great to see a live post on this subject!! Here's my take with some episode references.

Jadzia Dax -- 300+ year old wisdom she added to plots... Let He Who Is Without Sin...(5x07) Is one of my favorites of hers.

Kira Nerys -- Tough, soft, but what I loved most is how she moved around the scenes. You could tell she was a dancer before DS9. Wrongs Darker Than Death or Night (6x17) is one of my favorites of hers.

Quark -- For obvious reasons. His consistency in character with slight moments of "not Quark" windows deep into his psych (lol). He's my Ferengi definition. The Magnificent Ferengi (6x10) has to be my favorite Quarkisode if not Little Green Men (4x08). Iggy Pop as a Vorta = win! Also, it's great to see Armin Shimerman out of makeup and in a recent Castle episode The Final Frontier (5x06)

Benjamin Sisko -- I liked the sometimes frustrated pace of his dialogues. Personally, his and Jake's connection reminded me my connection with my pops. Albeit that connection was a TV version with way less fart jokes (seriously? does anyone fart in space? How is Seth MacFarlane going to revamp the series without introducing fart jokes? I don't know...). Even though he was out of character (yet strangely within), I really enjoyed alternate Sisko in Crossover (2x23)

Kira Nerys: Probably the character who evolved the most in DS9, I think she only started really changing after the episode Duet. She starts off as a fighter and a thoroughly unwomanly woman with her hands-on-approach, hatred of the Cardassians and distrust of any non-Bajoran. But how she finds peace with herself is one very rewarding story arc, along with the bumps along the way.

Dukat: Dukat is so amazing because he is the perfect villain, he deludes himself into thinking his actions were correct or necessary (much like today's villains), and he can go from someone who ordered the deaths of a few thousand people to a passionate lover or caring father. Yet always that controlling element is always with him.

Kai Winn: Virtually every scene with Kai Winn makes me want to strangle her as she is so condescending and repugnant. She's sort of like the religious version of Dukat, and just like him she lies through her teeth about certain matters.

Odo: I like Odo's bravery and strong will, many a time life is not easy for him what with being estranged from his people and yet he continues on, I think he is the most resilient character in all of Star Trek.

O'Brien: O'Brien is probably the most believable character of all in DS9, he is always in character and though he doesn't undergo great changes like some of the other main characters did, his consistency is always endearing.